Batista sacked as Argentina coach

Sergio Batista has been sacked as coach of Argentina’s national football team, it was announced on Monday.

Batista took over the reins at the South American powerhouse from legendary player Diego Maradona 12 months ago – initially in a caretaker position, before being handed the role proper.

The Argentine Football Association’s executive committee met on Monday, and made the decision to move on the 48-year-old former Argentina international.

The move comes swiftly following Argentina’s failure to fire at their hosting of the Copa America, registering just one victory and bowing out in the quarter-finals, despite holding aces such as Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain.

Lasting in the job just under one year (he was hired on July 27, 2010, and fired on July 25), Batista most memorably steered Argentina to a 4-1 win over World Cup holders Spain and also to a 1-0 win over Brazil.

His luck ran out at the recent Copa, which Uruguay won for the 15th time in their history, when pressure on his star-studded side saw Messi struggle to enforce his influence, and resulted in Tevez missing the decisive penalty in the shootout against the eventual champions.